Prolific tweeters lose voices

Twitter debut on stock exchange comes as noted names burn out

Associated Press

Associated Press

Published 8:30 pm, Wednesday, November 6, 2013

The Twitter bird logo is on an updated phone post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday Nov. 6, 2013. Twitter is expected to price its initial public offering some time Wednesday night. The company recently raised its price range to $23-$25 per share, following strong investor demand, and is expected to start trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) ORG XMIT: NYRD106

The Twitter bird logo is on an updated phone post on the floor of...

FILE - In this March 5, 2012 file photo, Megan Fox attends a screening of "Friends with Kids" hosted by the Cinema Society in New York. Fox left nearly a million followers dangling when she checked out of Twitter in January, explaining that Facebook is as much as I can handle. Twitter burnout among celebrities, athletes and shameless self-promoters poses a risk to the company and its investors as Twitter Inc. prepares for its Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 initial public offering. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ201

FILE - In this March 5, 2012 file photo, Megan Fox attends a...

FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2011 file photo, Jennifer Love Hewitt arrives to the world premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" in Los Angeles. Love Hewitt temporarily quit Twitter in July 2013, citing all the negativity she saw on the service. Twitter burnout among celebrities, athletes and shameless self-promoters poses a risk to the company and its investors as Twitter Inc. prepares for its Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 initial public offering. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ202

FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2011 file photo, Jennifer Love Hewitt...

FILE - In this July 23, 2010 file photo, John Mayer appears on the NBC "Today" television program in New York. Mayer deleted his Twitter account in 2011, saying Twitter absorbed so much of his thinking, he couldnt write a song. Twitter burnout among celebrities, athletes and shameless self-promoters poses a risk to the company and its investors as Twitter Inc. prepares for its Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 initial public offering. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ203

FILE - In this July 23, 2010 file photo, John Mayer appears on the...

FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2013 file photo, actors Mila Kunis, left, and Ashton Kutcher, right, look at a mobile phone as they sit courtside together at the NBA basketball game between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers, in Los Angeles. Kutcher is included on a long list of celebrities who _ at one time or another _ have taken a break from Twitter. Twitter burnout among celebrities, athletes and shameless self-promoters poses a risk to the company and its investors as Twitter Inc. prepares for its Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 initial public offering. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ204

A growing number of celebrities, athletes and self-promoters are burned out and signing off of Twitter. Many have gotten overwhelmed.

Some people built big audiences on the short messaging service only to have their followers turn against them. Others complain that tweets that once drew lots of attention now get lost in the noise.

As Twitter Inc. prepares to go public this week, the company is selling potential investors on the idea that its user base of 232 million will continue to grow along with the 500 million tweets that are sent each day. The company's revenue depends on ads it inserts into the stream of messages.

On Wednesday, Twitter set the price of its initial public offering at $26 a share, valuing the company at roughly $18 billion. Twitter shares are set to begin trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

But Wall Street could lose its big bet on social media if prolific tweeters lose their voice.

Evidence of Twitter burnout isn't hard to find. Just look at the celebrities who — at one time or another — have taken a break from the service.

Actress Megan Fox left nearly a million followers dangling when she checked out in January, explaining that "Facebook is as much as I can handle.

If Twitter turns off celebrities who have a financial incentive to stay in close contact with fans, how can the company prevent average users from becoming disenchanted?

For some users, Twitter tiredness sets in slowly. At first, they enjoy seeing their tweets of 140 characters or less bounce around the Web with retweets and favorites. But new connections soon get overwhelming. Obligation sets in — not only to post more, but to reply to followers and read their tweets.

The over-doers suffer from a "fear of missing out" (or FOMO), says Tom Edwards, vice president at themarketingarm, a Dallas-based advertising agency. "Managing our virtual personas, including all of the etiquette that comes with, can be tiresome, especially for those with large followings."